In the story of Jesus healing the woman with the issue of blood and raising Jairus’ daughter from the dead, the glory of Christ shines forth brilliantly, revealing 10 of His wonderful qualities.
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The Incomparable Christ
Luke 8:40-56
Over 100 years ago, an anonymous author penned these words: “More than nineteen hundred years ago there was a Man born contrary to the laws of life. This Man lived in poverty and was reared in obscurity. He never traveled more than 200 miles from his home town. He possessed neither wealth nor influence. He had neither training nor formal education. In infancy He startled a king; in childhood He puzzled doctors; in manhood He ruled the course of nature, walked upon the billows as if pavements, and hushed the sea to sleep. He healed the multitudes without medicine and made no charge for His service. He never wrote a book, and yet all the libraries of the country could not hold the books that have been written about Him. He never wrote a song, and yet He has furnished the theme for more songs than all the song writers combined. He never founded a college, but all the schools put together cannot boast of having as many students. He never marshaled an army, nor drafted a soldier, nor fired a gun; and yet no leader ever had more volunteers who have, under His orders, made more rebels stack arms and surrender without a shot fired. He never practiced psychiatry, and yet He healed more broken hearts than all the doctors far and near. The names of the past proud statesmen of Greece and Rome have come and gone. The names of the past scientists, philosophers, and theologians have come and gone; but the name of this Man abounds more and more. Though time has spread 1,900 years between the people of this generation and the scene of His crucifixion, yet He still lives. Herod could not destroy Him, and the grave could not hold Him. He stands forth upon the highest pinnacle of heavenly glory, proclaimed of God, acknowledged by angels, adored by saints, and feared by devils, as the living, personal Christ, our Lord and Savior.”
As we have been working through the gospel of Luke, we have seen the incomparableness of Jesus Christ again and again and again. This morning will be no different. This morning we are going to see 10 different qualities of our Incomparable Savior.
Remember, that in Luke 8, Luke is showing us four different miracles that demonstrate the authority of Christ. When Jesus calmed the storm, we see the authority of Christ over Disasters. When Jesus cast the spirits out of the Gadarene demoniac we see the authority of Christ over Demons. When Jesus healed the woman with the issue of blood we see the authority of Christ over Disease. And when Jesus raised the girl from the dead we see the authority of Christ over Death. He is Lord over Disasters, Demons, Disease, and Death.
This morning we are going to be studying a single story that has two parts. In this single story Jesus performs two miracles – the healing of a woman with an ongoing hemorrhage, and the raising of a girl from the dead. But in this single story we see 10 different glimpses into the glory and uniqueness of Jesus Christ.
Usually I divide my sermons into 2, 3 or 4 points. This morning I have 10 points! But don’t worry – I won’t preach more than 2 hours!
1. The Sufficiency of Christ – “Jesus Can Meet The Needs Of Any Person”
In this story we see Jesus meeting the desperate needs of two very different people. One was a man, the other a woman. One was a synagogue official, the other an outcast from society. One was a wealthy man of reputation, the other a penniless woman of no repute. They were from two totally different levels of society. Yet, each one was drawn to Jesus by their desperate need.
Jairus’ had an only child, a 12-year old daughter who was at the point of death. In spite of the Jewish religious leaders hostility toward Jesus, he was willing to humble himself and throw himself at the feet of Jesus and beg Him to come and heal his daughter.
The woman, on the other hand, had suffered with a hemorrhage for 12 years. Most commentators agree that she had been experiencing an ongoing menstrual cycle for 12 solid years. This hemorrhage may have been produced by fibrous tumors. My wife tells me that to have to deal with this situation constantly for 12 years would be extremely uncomfortable. But not only was it a physical problem, it was a social problem, for under Jewish law she was unclean. That meant that anyone that came into contact with her was also unclean. That meant that if her husband had relations with her, he was unclean for 7 days. As a result she would be shunned by friends and acquaintances. Further, she had a spiritual problem, because her disease made it impossible for her to go to the temple to worship and offer sacrifice and participate in the festivals of Israel as well as go weekly to the synagogue to hear the Word of God read and taught. Finally, she had a financial problem. Mark tells us in 5:26 that “she had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse.” She was penniless and discouraged and desperate when she came to Jesus.
Jairus had experienced the laughter, and joy and delight of his little girl for 12 years and he was in danger of losing it. This woman had experienced misery and suffering and anguish for 12 years and she was in danger of keeping it. But Jesus came into contact with both of them, and He met both of their needs. He healed the woman and raised his daughter.
My friends, Jesus is an all-sufficient Savior. I don’t care who you are, or what your need is, He can meet it. I don’t care if you a wealthy doctor or lawyer or bank manager or business owner, or if you are dirt poor, and homeless, and can barely survive. I don’t care if you are famous and popular, or unknown and obscure. All of you have needs, and Jesus is able to meet all of them, because He is sufficient for all. So, never conclude that Jesus is only for “those people over there.” No, “He is the Savior of all men, especially of believers” (1Tim.4:10). Oh, praise Him for His infinite sufficiency!
2. The Holiness Of Christ – “Jesus Can Touch Us Without Being Defiled”
There are two things that took place in this story that would have caused all those Jews who knew about it to gasp. The first is that this woman, who was ceremonially unclean, actually reached out and intentionally touched Jesus. Normally that would mean that Jesus became unclean along with her. The second is when Jesus reached out and took this dead girl by the hand. According to Jewish law, if you touched a woman on her menstrual period, or if you touched a dead person or their coffin or grave, you became unclean. Well, Jesus touched both! Did He become unclean? No, they were cleansed! Jesus is so absolutely holy and pure, that nothing can defile Him. Instead, He transmits His virtue into them.
Think about it for a minute. When you, in all your sin, touched Christ by faith, did He become a sinner, or did you become a saint? He imputed His righteousness to us. “He who knew no sin became sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2Cor.5:21). Even when Jesus was actually bearing our sin in His own body, He knew no sin, and He was the just dying for the unjust. Yes, He took the penalty of sin, but was never actually defiled to where He became sinful Himself. Oh, praise Him for His infinite Holiness!
3. The Ability Of Christ – “Jesus Can Do What No One Else Can Do”
Luke tells us in verse 43 that this woman “could not be healed by anyone.” Now Luke is a doctor who would like to protect his profession from being tarnished. But Mark had no such desire. Mark says in chapter 5, verse 26, that she “had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse.” Clearly, there was nothing that human doctors could do to help this poor woman. She had tried them all. She had spent every penny she had, hoping beyond hope, that the next doctor would have the answer. I’m sure there were many quacks out there that were only too happy to take this woman’s money. According to the Talmud one of the remedies was for the woman to carry around an ostrich egg around her neck, or carry a barley corn found in donkey dung. Another doctor prescribed that she was to hold a vessel of wine, and then someone was to come up behind her suddenly and scare her while she said, “Flux be gone!” So, yes, there were plenty of quacks in the first century selling their snake oil to whoever would buy it.
This woman’s problem may have been beyond human ability, but it was not beyond Christ’s! As soon as she reached out and touched the fringe of His cloak, immediately her hemorrhage stopped. She had been experiencing a continual flow of blood for 12 years, and immediately it stopped! What a relief she must have felt!
My friends, whatever your problem is this morning, I don’t care if no other person on earth can solve it, I know that Jesus can. Now, I don’t know if He will. But I do know, that He can. He is able. Get your eyes off of man and fix them on Jesus Christ. Oh praise Him for His infinite ability!
4. The Wisdom Of Christ – “Jesus Allows Delays To Our Requests For Our Own Good”
Let’s go back to our story. Jairus was frantic about his daughter. He came to Jesus, threw Himself at Jesus’ feet, and pled with Him to come and heal her before she died. Well, Jesus got up and began to follow him to his house. However, in the midst of their travels, this woman snuck up and touched His cloak and was cured. At that moment, Jesus stopped in His tracks and asked “Who is the one who touched Me?” At that moment I’m sure that Jairus is thinking, “Who in the blazes cares about who touched you! Come on Lord – we don’t have much time! Unless you hurry, all will be lost!” Do you see that Jairus requested that Jesus come and heal his daughter, and Jesus intentionally delays the answer to that request?
You now, He does that all the time in our lives doesn’t He? We make a request, we pray and ask Him to heal someone, or provide this financial need, and He doesn’t answer that request right away. He waits, and waits, and waits, until just the right time. You know, I believe that Jesus stopped and called out this woman, not because He lacked compassion for Jairus, but because He knew Jairus needed it. You see, when Jairus witnessed a genuine miracle of healing before his very eyes, it would strengthen his faith to believe that Jesus could do the same for his daughter. In fact, very soon Jesus will encourage him by saying, “Do not be afraid any longer; only believe, and she will be made well” (8:50). So this delay was for Jairus’ own good.
Oh, if we would just grasp this truth, how much more peace and contentment we would experience, wouldn’t we? If we truly believed that any delays to our prayer were for a wise and holy purpose, and that because God loved us He was delaying the answer, it would help us so very much! You see, God always answers prayer. Sometimes His answer is “Yes”; sometimes His answer is “No”; and sometimes His answer is “Later.” Oh trust him when your prayers are delayed. Praise Him for His infinite wisdom!
5. The Knowledge Of Christ – “Jesus Is Always Aware Whenever We Exercise Faith in Him”
As soon as the woman touched Jesus’ cloak, she felt in her body that she was healed. And immediately Jesus asked, “Who is the one who touched Me” Of course everyone thought Jesus was acting pretty strange, because He was surrounded by a great multitude of people that were pressing Him on every side, just like the winning pitcher of the World Series, when everyone in the dugout and the stands streams on the field in a giant mob. But Jesus knew the difference between being pressed by the crowd, and being touched by faith. Verse 46 says that “He was aware that power had gone out of Him.” Here we come to a very deep and great mystery that I confess I do not understand. I’m not sure if Jesus knew all along who it was that touched Him, and was just asking the question so that He would draw out a confession from this woman. Or, perhaps, Jesus did not know who touched Him, and this was an honest question. We know that Jesus did not know the day or hour when He would return. Yes, Jesus was and is God, but it is my understanding that when He became a man He gave up the right to the independent exercise of His divine attributes, and did all His works by the power of the Holy Spirit. It might be that He did not know who had touched Him by faith, but only that power had gone out of Him. I really don’t know. But what I do know is that He knew it when this woman touched Him by faith.
And my friends, Jesus knows it when you touch Him by faith as well. Every time you connect with Him by faith, He is absolutely aware of it, and will reward you, just as He did this woman by saying, “Daughter, your faith as made you well; go in peace.” Folks, believe God’s promises. Connect with Him by trusting Him. He knows it and will reward you openly. Praise Him for His infinite knowledge!
6. The Lordship Of Christ – “Jesus Requires Us To Confess Publicly When He Saves Us”
Notice also in this story, that Jesus required that this woman give a public confession of what He had done for her. Look with me at verses 46 and 47, “But Jesus said, “Someone did touch Me, for I was aware that power had gone out of Me.” When the woman saw that she had not escaped notice, she came trembling and fell down before Him, and declared in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched Him, and how she had been immediately healed.”
Even though Jairus was in a huge hurry, Jesus stopped and took time to call this woman out of the crowd to give a public confession of how she had been healed. No doubt, this confession was difficult for her to make. It would have been an embarrassing subject to talk about, but Jesus required that she give it. This points to the fact that Jesus is Lord. He is Master. He has the right to call upon us to do whatever He wants. If He requires a public confession from those He saves, that is His right, because He is Lord!
There are two ways Jesus requires us to make public confession. The first is found in Romans 10:9 where it says, “if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Jesus Christ today requires every believer to confess with his mouth that Jesus is Lord. Have you ever made that confession? Have you ever told someone or a group of people that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior? You must, for He requires it.
The second way we make public confession today is through water baptism. Jesus said, “He who has believed and has been baptized will be saved.” Once a person comes to faith in Jesus Christ, he needs to demonstrate that Jesus is truly his Lord, by obeying Him in water baptism. Baptism is the time when we make a public identification with Jesus Christ. We are saying that we have been united to Him, that I am His, and He is mine. We are saying that we have given ourselves up to be His followers to the end. Have you obeyed Christ in baptism? I personally think it is wisdom to wait to receive the Lord’s Supper, until you have been baptized. Baptism is the initiation rite into the kingdom, and baptism is the regular ongoing rite for those who are in the kingdom.
7. The Compassion Of Christ – “Jesus Encourages Us To Dispel Fear With Faith”
Notice verses 49 and 50, “While He was still speaking, someone came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, “Your daughter has died; do not trouble the Teacher anymore.” But when Jesus heard this, He answered him, “Do not be afraid any longer; only believe, and she will be made well.” Don’t you know that when Jairus heard that his daughter had died, that his heart just sank?! Here, the light of his life, his joy, had died. It must have seemed like his world was coming to an end.
How does Jesus respond? Rather than say, “Oh well, I guess you’ve got a rough road ahead of you. Sorry it had to happen!”, He encourages him to cast out fear with faith. His heart goes out to this man who has just learned that his daughter is dead. He wants to encourage him that all is not lost. Remember that a good working definition of compassion is “your pain in my heart.” Because Jesus felt this man’s pain, He encouraged him not be afraid, but only to believe.
Friends, isn’t it good to know that Jesus is compassionate toward us? He is a merciful and sympathetic high priest. He feels our pain, and encourages us with truth. Folks, if you regularly face fear, Jesus says the antidote is faith. Strengthen your faith in His Word and His promises, and fear will be dispelled.
8. The Sovereignty Of Christ – “Jesus Removes the Mockers Before He Enters”
This truth comes out more clearly and forcefully in Mark 5:40 where it says, “They began laughing at Him. But putting them all out, He took along the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and entered the room where the child was.” At every Jewish funeral there were professional mourners. If the family was poor there would be a flute player and a couple of wailers. If the family was wealthy, there would be many more professional mourners. Since Jairus was probably wealthy, we can imagine maybe 20 or 30 mourners at this scene. When Jesus announced that the child was not dead, but was only asleep, they laughed at him. They instantly went from loud weeping and wailing to laughing. And this was not a little chuckle. This was a big belly laugh. They mocked the Lord Jesus Christ.
So, why did Jesus make them all leave the room before He raised the girl from the dead? I think it was because He wanted there to be an atmosphere of faith present when He gave His word of command. He put all the mockers out before He entered and raised the girl. Only His three closest disciples, Peter, James, and John were present, as well as the father and mother.
But what I find really interesting about this situation is how Jesus just takes over. He’s in someone else’s home, but He takes over like He is the owner of the house. Jesus commands all the mourners to get out, and then enters to raise the girl up. Now, we would consider this kind of action very rude and inappropriate if one of us were to do this, wouldn’t we? We would expect Jairus to kick all the mourners out, if anyone was going to do it. However, Jesus isn’t one of us. He is the Sovereign King. He is in absolute control of all things. He is the Master wherever He is, no matter whose house He is in. He does what He wants, whether it is kicking mourners out of the house, or choosing who will enter the room to witness the miracle. My friends, it is a great comfort to me, that Jesus Christ is sovereign. Not a hair of my head can perish apart from the will of the Father. Even if I face great trials and suffering, I know there is a wise and loving purpose for it. Take comfort from the sovereignty of Jesus Christ!
9. The Power Of Christ – “Jesus Raises The Dead With A Word”
Look at verses 54-55, “He, however, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Child, arise!” And her spirit returned, and she got up immediately; and He gave orders for something to be given her to eat.” Jesus may have raised many people from the dead, but we only have three specific examples in Scripture. However, He raised all three exactly the same way – by His Word. To this girl He said, “Child, arise!” To the son of the widow of Nain He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise!” To Lazarus He said, “Lazarus, come forth!” Notice that in each case, Jesus gave a command, not a suggestion. And this command was followed by a true resurrection in every case! When Jesus issues a command, it is accompanied by supernatural power. It was the same way in the beginning when God said, “Let there be light, and light was.”
There is coming a day in the future when the Lord will issue another command. John 5:28-29 says, “Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.” Just as Jesus raised the girl, so He is going to raise you. And when He does, you will stand before Him to given an account of your life. On that day He will be your Judge, and the only thing that will matter is whether you believed in Him, surrendered your life to Him, and followed Him obediently. Nothing else will matter!
10. The Renown Of Christ – “Jesus Brought About A Response From Everyone”
All the way through this story we find people reacting differently to Jesus. Verse 40 says that the people welcomed Him when He returned from the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Verse 41 says Jairus fell at His feet. Verse 44 says the woman touched Him. Verse 53 says the mourners laughed at Him. Verse 56 says the girl’s parents were amazed at Him. What a wide variety of responses – welcomed Him, fell before Him, touched Him, laughed at Him, amazed by Him.
You see, Jesus’ renown was so great that He drew forth a response wherever He went. People were not neutral regarding Jesus Christ. The religious leaders hated Him and plotted to kill Him. The common people loved Him and heard Him gladly. I began this sermon by pointing out the incomparable life of that one solitary individual.
So, how have you responded to Him? Have you been amazed at what you have learned about Him, like the girl’s parents? That kind of response is not enough. Many people who are amazed at Jesus will die in their sins. Have you laughed at Him like the mourners? Do you make fun of Christians and their beliefs and their Savior? Then you are in the grip of sin and Satan and will die in your sins apart from a miracle of grace. Have you welcomed Him? Even that may not be a saving response, because the crowds welcomed Him because they knew He might do miracles and heal them, and feed them. So, what kind of response is necessary? I submit to you, it is the response of Jairus and this woman. We need to fall down before Him, and touch Him by faith. Someone has said, “the flesh presses, but faith touches.” There is a huge difference between all the people who pressed against Him, and this one woman who touched Him in faith.
Have you taken the position before Him as a worshipper of Christ? Have you put all your faith and trust in Him, and in Him alone? If you have, you are safe. He is your Lord and Savior, and Treasure.
Bridge, let this wonderful story fill you with awe at your Savior. See His Sufficiency, Holiness, Ability, Wisdom, Knowledge, Lordship, Compassion, Sovereignty, Power and Renown.
As we draw our service to a conclusion, let’s worship Him!
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